Portion packed soluble food product package



Dec. 3, 1968 w. c. CHRISTINE ETAL 3,414,414 PORTION PACKED SOLUBLE FOOD PRODUCT PACKAGE Filed July 25, 1965 INVENTORS= A TTORNEY United States Patent 3,414,414 PORTION PACKED SOLUBLE FOOD PRODUCT PACKAGE William C. Christine, Catasauqua, and Joseph E. Pierce, Allentown, Pa., assignors, by mesne assignments, to A.E.I. Corporation, Bethlehem, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 23, 1965, Ser. No. 474,276 1 Claim. (Cl. 99171) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A display package wherein a plurality of containers filled with soluble foodstuffs are enclosed in blisters formed on a base member with perforated means on said member for individually removing the filled containers.

This invention relates to a package, and more particularly to a portion packed soluble food product package.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a package which is adapted to hold a plurality of individual packets or containers therein, and wherein the packets or containers are adapted to contain quantities of material or ingredients such as powdered soluble food products, such as coffee, tea, chocolate, soup, and products for making hot and cold drinks.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a portion packed soluble food product package which includes a means for permitting the individual packets or containers to be conveniently and attractively displayed for increasing sales appeal to consumers or the like, and wherein according to the present invention there is provided a novel means for manually removing individual packets as they are to be used or consumed.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a package for a plurality of soluble food product containers wherein there is provided a backing member or body member made of a material such as cardboard, and wherein the plurality of containers are covered with a transparent plastic material, the backing member having perforated sections and slotted finger-engaging tabs which correspond in location and number to the individual containers so as to facilitate removal of the perforated sections whereby the individual containers can be removed from the package to permit a removable closure to be removed from the individual containers so that the contents of the containers can be emptied into a cup of hot or cold water to provide a refreshing and healthful cup of food product.

A further object is to providea package of the type stated that is economical to manufacture and is efficient in use and which is rugged in structure and fool-proof to manipulate or use.

These and further objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from a reading of the following specification and claims, together with the accompanying drawings, wherein like parts are referred to and indicated by like reference characters, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the bottom of the portion packed soluble food product package, and illustrating the manner of inserting the finger or fingernail into the slotted tab to remove the perforated section.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the package.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the package with parts broken away in section.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

3,414,414 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the individual packets or containers.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 30 indicates one of the portion packed soluble food product packages of the present invention, and the package 30 includes a generally rectangular backing member or body member which is adapted to be made of a suitable material, such as cardboard. The body member 31 is provided with a small aperture or opening 32 adjacent the upper end thereof whereby a plurality of the packages 30 can be suspended from a rack for displaying the packages for sales in retail establishments, such as a supermarket or other localities. The upper portion of the body member 31 on the front thereof is adapted to be used for receiving printed matter or the like, and the rear surface of the body member 31 is also adapted to have various types of printed matter thereon, such as illustrations on how to remove the individual packets or containers from the package.

As shown in the drawings a plurality of individual packets or containers 33 are arranged adjacent the front of the body member 31, and one of these packets 33 is shown in FIG. 5. The packets 33 all have the same configuration, and each includes a cup 34 which has a flat bottom portion as well as an arcuate side portion 35 and a removable closure 36 is mounted on the cup 34. The closure 36 has a generally rounded configuration and the closure 36 is provided with a pointed end portion 37 which provides a pull tab for manual removal from the cup 34. Each of the cups or packets are adapted to hold a predetermined quantity of powdered food product, such as coffee, tea, soup, chocolate or powdered food product to be used for making cold drinks. It is to be understood that when the packet 33 is removed as later described in this application and the closure 36 is removed by pulling the corresponding tab, the powdered food product can be emptied into a cup of hot or cold water to make the hot or cold drink, soup or the like.

As shown in FIG 3, for example, the numeral 38 indicates a transparent sheet or plastic section which extends over the plurality of packets 33 and the outer edge portions of the sheet 38 are adapted to be bonded to adjacent surfaces at the front of the body member 31 in any suitable manner as, for example, by heat sealing. The packets 33 are initially adapted to be arranged in two rows as shown in FIG. 3, and with the packets 33 in this position the pointed tabs 37 are all aligned relative to each other.

Attention is now directed to FIG. 2 of the drawings wherein there is illustrated the back of the package, and it will be seen that there are provided two rows or groups of circular perforated sections 42, and an arcuate slotted section 43 communicates with each perforated section 42. The sections 42 and 43 are arranged in aligned relation to correspond to the location and number of the packets 33. In FIG. 1 the numeral 44 illustrates the finger of a person engaging the slotted flap or tab 46 to illustrate the method of pulling on the tab 46, and due to the perforated or weakened sections 42, the entire section 47 defined within the perforated section 42 can be removed to permit one of the individual packets 33- to be taken out for subsequent use. Also, in FIG. 1 the numeral 45 illustrates the space that remains after one of the packets has been removed from the article.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a package of portion packed soluble food products and in use with the parts arranged as shown in the drawings the package 30' of the present invention provides a highly attractive and convenient means for displaying and holding a plurality of individual containers 33. The portion or body member 31 is adapted to be made of cardboard and is provided with a small aperture or opening 32 adjacent the upper end thereof whereby a plurality of the packages 30 can be hung or suspended from a hook, rack or the like whereby the units 30 can be conveniently displayed in an establishment such as a supermarket or other locality. The upper front portion of the body member 31 provides a convenient space to receive various types of indicia or printed matter, including price of the package. The back of the member 31 provides a convenient location for receiving printed matter, including instructions on how to use the article. The plurality of packets 33 are arranged in two rows as indicated by the numeral 39, but it is to be understood that the number or size of the rows can be varied as desired or required. The packets 33 are arranged adjacent the front of the member 31 and the transparent plastic sheet 38 extends over all the containers 33. The transparent plastic sheets are suitably affixed to adjacent portions of the backing member 31.

The member 31 is provided with preformed arcuate perforated or weakened sections 41, and a plurality of these sections 41 are arranged in rows 42 to correspond to rows 39 of containers 33. In addition, the member 31 is provided with a plurality of arcuate slots 43 which define curved tabs or finger engaging portions 46. As shown in FIG. 1, a portion of the finger or fingernail can be readily inserted through a particular slot 43 to permit the tab 46 to be manually gripped or grasped whereby the portion 47 can be readily separated or removed from the member 31, and the provision of the perforations 41 serves to insure that the portion 47 can be readily separated or removed from the member 31. With the portion 47 a desired container 33 can be readily removed from its initial position in the unit 30, and as shown in FIG. 1 after one of the containers 33 has been removed there remains an empty space 45.

With the container 33 removed it is only necessary to manually pull the tab portion 37 so that the closure 36 can be removed from the cup 34 whereby the powdered ingredients of the cup can then be emptied into a cup of hot or cold water.

Assuming that hot soup, tea or the like is desired, the powdered soluble food product from the container 33 is adapted to be emptied or dumped into a cup of hot water and then dissolved or mixed with the water to provide a highly palatable or delicious hot food product. Similarly, when a cold drink is to be made, the powdered food product of the proper type is emptied into a cup or cold water so that, for example, cold beverages may be made and the finished product is highly palatable and convenient to make and delicious to consume.

With the present invention a plurality of different type containers 33 can be conveniently merchandised or displayed in a single package, and these individual containers 33 may each have different ingredients therein or they may be arranged and provided with the same ingredients.

The parts can be made of any suitable material in different shapes or sizes as required.

It will now be clear that there is provided a device which accomplishes the objectives heretofore set forth. While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it is to be understood that the specific embodiment thereof as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

-1. A portion packed soluble food package comprising a body member of rigid construction having a rectangular formation and provided with an aperture in its upper end for suspending the package for display purposes, the upper portion of the body member and the rear surface both being adapted for receiving printed matter thereon and a plurality of individual packets arranged contiguous to the front of said body member with each packet being of the same configuration, said packets being arranged in two pairs of aligned rows and being in individual blisters formed by a transparent sheet extending over and partially around each packet and secured to the front of said body member, each of said packets comprising a cup filled with powdered, soluble food products with each cup having a flap and a removable closure thereon, said closure having a generally rounded portion and being provided with a pointed finger engaging tab portion, the pointed finger engaging tab portion of each cup being all aligned relative to each other, said body member further having a plurality of perforated sections corresponding in location and number to the packets, there being arcuate slotted sections communicating with each perforated section and said slotted section being aligned with the finger engaging tabs and extending to the rear of the packets, and said slotted sections defining curved tabs adapted to be manually gripped from the rear of said body member to permit the perforated sections to be separated from the body member whereby a desired package can be removed to permit the contents of the can to be mixed and dissolved in a quantity of liquid to form the desired product.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,025,952 3/1962 Phipps 20642 3,054,679 9/1962 Bradford 99-171 3,255,880 6/1966 Grossrnan 206-78 RAYMOND N. I ONES, Primary Examiner. 

